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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2016 Subaru Legacy
Common Problems

Ranked from 58 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

1
Safety
2
High severity
3
Medium
1 problem on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

6 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Battery Drain and Failure

    32complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The battery frequently discharges and fails, requiring multiple replacements within a short period.

    $150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  2. 2

    Ignition key jamming in park position

    20complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The ignition key becomes stuck in the park position, requiring multiple attempts to remove it.

  3. 3

    Steering column key removal issues

    14complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The steering column key becomes stuck and requires multiple attempts to remove it, especially when the vehicle is parked.

    $200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 16V292000

  4. 4

    Windshield spontaneous cracking

    9complaints
    High severityOther

    The windshield spontaneously develops cracks without any apparent cause while the vehicle is stationary.

  5. 5

    Unintended Acceleration

    8complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The vehicle experiences unintended acceleration without driver input, posing a risk of loss of control and potential accidents.

  6. 6

    Engine Stall at Idle

    2complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The engine stalls at idle, possibly due to stop-start system failure or other engine-related issues.

    $150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

Other years & sources

2010 Subaru Legacy2011 Subaru Legacy2017 Subaru Legacy2018 Subaru Legacy2019 Subaru Legacy2020 Subaru LegacyAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.